Lehmann Vicky, Both Stephanie, Elzevier Henk W, Tromp Jacqueline, den Oudsten Brenda
Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location: Amsterdam University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Gynecology and Obstetrics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2025 Feb;74:102791. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2025.102791. Epub 2025 Jan 13.
To assess care needs related to sexual and reproductive health of patients and survivors diagnosed with cancer during adolescence and young adulthood (AYA).
Participants (N = 190) were predominantly female (87.4%) and diagnosed with cancer between age 12-39 years. Common diagnoses included breast cancer (37.1%) or leukemia/lymphoma (27.2%). Cancer patients/survivors completed an online survey, which assessed care needs regarding sexual health and fertility/reproductive health. They provided written open answers, which were qualitatively analyzed.
Care needs related to sexual health varied and included a need for more information about possible effects on sexual health, which will enable patients/survivors to better anticipate (physical and mental) side effects of cancer on sexual health. AYA patients/survivors need support from providers who normalize the topic of sex, who offer guidance in coping with numerous questions, who provide resources and practical tips and tricks, and who refer to specialists if needed. Participants would like providers to initiate conversations and communicate openly and honestly without taboo, bias, or shame. Care needs regarding reproductive health included needing support in navigating reproduction after cancer, while unmet information needs were central. This included needing information about fertility status and assessment options, reproduction/contraceptives, the safety of pregnancies, and the (im)possibility of alternatives to biological parenthood.
Communication is key in informing and supporting AYA cancer patients and survivors regarding their sexual and reproductive health. Providers should assess individual patients'/survivors' needs and tailor information that is tangible accordingly. Additional recommendations for healthcare providers are presented.
评估青春期和青年期（AYA）被诊断患有癌症的患者及幸存者在性健康和生殖健康方面的护理需求。
参与者（N = 190）以女性为主（87.4%），年龄在12至39岁之间被诊断患有癌症。常见诊断包括乳腺癌（37.1%）或白血病/淋巴瘤（27.2%）。癌症患者/幸存者完成了一项在线调查，该调查评估了性健康和生育/生殖健康方面的护理需求。他们提供了书面开放式答案，并进行了定性分析。
与性健康相关的护理需求各不相同，包括需要更多关于对性健康可能影响的信息，这将使患者/幸存者能够更好地预测癌症对性健康的（身体和心理）副作用。AYA患者/幸存者需要来自医疗服务提供者的支持，这些提供者要使性话题正常化，在应对众多问题时提供指导，提供资源和实用技巧，并在需要时转介给专家。参与者希望医疗服务提供者发起对话，并坦诚、公开地交流，没有禁忌、偏见或羞耻感。与生殖健康相关的护理需求包括在癌症后进行生殖方面需要支持，而未满足的信息需求是核心。这包括需要关于生育状况和评估选项、生殖/避孕、怀孕安全性以及成为生物学父母替代方案的（不）可能性的信息。
沟通是告知和支持AYA癌症患者及幸存者性健康和生殖健康的关键。医疗服务提供者应评估个体患者/幸存者的需求，并相应地提供切实可行的信息。还为医疗服务提供者提出了其他建议。
